REVIEW: Sonia Kashuk LE Brush Couture 5pc Brush Set

I'm beginning to notice that I always start these posts with a story. This post is no different. So I went to Target looking for the 15pc Sonia Kashuk Anniversary Brush Set, which I had seen there and for some reason didn't actually buy. It was sold out, of course, but then I saw this one and I was intrigued. Like I said in my last post, I've been wanting to try out more Sonia Kashuk products and brushes were definitely on the list. The thing that made this brush set stand out for me was that it seemed like it actually contained brushes that I didn't have in my collection thus far, and for someone with as large a brush collection as I have that was a huge deal. So I bought it. I mean, of course I bought it. And then I used them. And now I'm going to tell you all about them... Just in case you were wondering how blogs worked.

So, like I said above. I don't have brushes that are exactly like these in my collection. That's rarely the case with most affordable brush sets. Generally, I already have very similar brushes that I love and it seems silly to pick up more of them. This set definitely stood out on that regard.

Another way that it stood out to me isn't going to surprise anyone... Look at the gorgeous, bright abstract floral pattern on the handles. I was won over by how pretty these brushes are. I'd like to actually keep them in their own separate container on my vanity just to show off how pretty they are. Is anyone surprised that I'm that girl? I'd imagine not. Although it has nothing to do with the quality of the brushes, I also love the box that it came in. I actually find these kinds of boxes to be very convenient when it comes to organizing things on top of a desk or dresser and this one has already found a spot at my boyfriend's place for the multitude of beauty products that have migrated there.

I would say that this is a fairly small face brush. Perhaps medium. It has fairly soft, natural bristles with a round, domed head. I would say that this is more for powder products than for powder, if that makes sense. I've used this to apply blush and highlighter and it performs quite well in both of those tasks. I also feel like it would work very well for a more precise application of bronzer, for example at the temples and hairline, because it is just the right size. If you can believe it, I actually don't have a brush like this. I'm sure that I did at some point, but I've moved to fairly polarized brushes for applying product to my face, either quite large or quite small. Overall, this brush doesn't blow my mind and I don't feel like it's an absolute must have, but I will definitely get use out of it.

Angled Foundation Brush

This brush has a very flat head that is angled at the tip and reminds me a lot more of a paintbrush than a makeup brush. The bristles are incredibly soft and tapered at the tip. Though I tend to prefer bigger buffing brushes than flat brushes for applying foundation, this one definitely intrigued me. I find the shape of the brush to be incredibly versatile for applying product to the skin, as it maneuvers quite well around the contours of the face. I also feel like this would be an incredible brush for applying a liquid or cream contour if you're looking for a very sharp, precise line. It wouln't do much for blending, but for the initial application it would be completely on point. At least, that's what I assume. I don't actually do much strong contour to my face, personally. Still, this brush is an absolute winner to me and I think people who enjoy the flat type of foundation brush would enjoy this.

Duo Fibre Blending Brush

This is a small, tapered blending brush with duo fibre bristles that come to a sort of jagged, pointed tip. With a light touch, the bristles glide over the skin fairly softly, but with too much pressure it feels a little bit scratchy on the sensitive skin of your eyelid. This was actually the brush I was most looking forward to in this kit. I will say that it does do a good job of applying and blending product in the crease, but I find that I don't really enjoy using it because of the scratchiness of the bristles. Overall, this was definitely the most disappointing brush of the set. I'll use it, because it does its job well, but I would easily replace it with something softer.

Medium Eyeshadow Brush

This brush has short, densely packed bristles. It is pinched at the ferrule to flatten it somewhat, but it is still quite thick and domed at the tip. This brush is perfect for packing colour on the lid. It picks up and deposits a good amount of colour without causing too much fall out. I actually really love this brush and have used it quite a bit for applying colour all over the lid. These brushes, to me, are the kind of essential brushes that you need in your collection. It's soft enough to blend out the edges of a one shadow look and I feel like it would be a good work horse for a quick, easy eye look. It reminds me quite a lot of the Real Techniques Domed Shadow Brush, but the bristles are significantly shorter and I feel like that actually makes it a little bit easier to use. Overall, I really like this brush and I think it'll get a lot of use.

Precision Liner Brush

This is a very small brush with densely packed bristles that come to quite a sharp point. The bristles are quite short and have very little flex to them. This was another brush that I definitely wanted to have in my collection, since I don't have one that is this short and pointed. This brush took a little bit of playing for me to really like it, but now I absolutely do. I use this brush to lightly apply shadow to both my lower and upper lash line when I wanted a softer liner look. I wouldn't say that this would be good for a gel type liner or anything like that, it's definitely more suited for powder products, but it does give a good, precise application that doesn't require too much building. However, the point can be quite uncomfortable if you press too hard, so it definitely requires a light hand.

Overall, I'm quite happy with this brush set. Ultimately, I think that you could do a full face of makeup with it, so it would be fairly convenient for travel. I definitely wouldn't say that it's my favorite brush set, but it definitely has winners in it and gets the job done. For the price point, I would recommend this to people who prefer to keep it simple or even for people just starting out with makeup. I will definitely keep using all of these brushes and look forward to trying more Sonia Kashuk brushes. (Still hoping for the 15 piece set, let's be honest!)

This set is available for $16.99 at Target. However, it is limited edition, so I'm not sure how much longer it will be available. It is not present on the Sonia Kashuk website and is sold out on Target.com, but it does say that it is still available in stores.